Question 36. How should the Local Plan ensure the right infrastructure is provided in line with development?

The Issues and Options report identifies that significant infrastructure is being brought forwards in the Greater Cambridge area including East West Rail. Park and Ride is also planned, together with the CAM. New development should be located appropriately to maximise the benefits of investment in this new strategic infrastructure, which has the ability to increase the availability and use of more sustainable modes of transport and thereby address the environment and on quality of life impacts of car use. Local infrastructure such as schools, health facilities and leisure facilities should be key elements of new development if it is to be sustainable and contribute to the creation of robust, mixed-use communities. Such infrastructure is best delivered where its effectiveness is maximised across both existing and new communities. The MGH proposals at North Cambourne would deliver new infrastructure that serves the new community, but also serves the existing community at Cambourne. New residents would benefit from the existing services and facilities provided at Cambourne, with new infrastructure broadening choices. The extension of Cambourne will deliver new options for education, additional community facilities with opportunities for cultural facilities, and a broader leisure offer that could include for example a swimming pool or local cinema. Smaller developments, for example in the surrounding villages, are not able to deliver such opportunities because neither the existing community or the new development provide sufficient critical mass to support them.

Thakeham requests that the Local Plan consider planned transport improvements when determining where future development should take place, as well as assessing how potential development sites could provide new opportunities for transport infrastructure improvements. This includes the new East-West rail link from Cambridge to Bedford with the northern route including stations at Cambourne and St Neots / Sandy recently announced as the preferred route. These planned infrastructure improvements improve connectivity between Cambridge and surrounding districts, making it a more sustainable location to live and/or work. Thakeham urge the Councils’ to ensure the Local Plan commits to providing infrastructure that has already been planned, especially where a site has demonstrated that it could assist in the deliverability of the infrastructure.

The type of infrastructure is well known, the volume can be calculated. The phasing is important to build successful communities and great places to live.

4.89 The Local Plan must encourage sustainable modes of transport within new development to prevent increased congestion. Traffic congestion is the most frequent form of disruption to a region’s transport network, posing a risk to growth and prosperity. New warehousing and distributing developments should therefore be located on main transport corridors, with direct and easy access for HGVs to the strategic road network. Development should be located where there is capacity on the highway network, or there is opportunity to provide improvements to capacity. 4.90 Given the move to all electric energy strategies for new development and also the continued uptake of Electric Vehicles, a key requirement is to ensure that grid capacity grows at a faster rate than this demand and in advance. Otherwise developers may face costly constraints from DNOs to the deployment of solar PV or battery storage, for example. Such constraints could potentially have significant implications to the commercial realisation of zero carbon.

The NPPF (at paragraph 72) states that the supply of large numbers of new homes can often be achieved through planning for larger scale development, including significant extensions to existing towns, provided they are well-located and designed, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities. The CPIER urges plan makers to plan for growth at Cambridge in the national interest, as a 'strategic priority'. To do so, requires planning at scale, so that the appropriate environment for investment can be created. If allocated, land at Cambridge East offers the opportunity to plan for both housing and employment at a scale which would provide a substantial contribution to the future needs of the city. Joint working will establish the appropriate balance of uses across the site and the infrastructure required to support this level of growth.

Model the requirement.

Q36 – Q38 Infrastructure and sustainable travel. The Local Plan should ensure that infrastructure is capable of supporting new development and that it contributes towards net zero carbon and doubling nature targets. As already mentioned a more sustainable transport network is required to reduce reliance on car travel in order to improve air quality, people’s health, biodiversity and to slow down climate change. We are aware that Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is developing a number of transport schemes to improve sustainable travel in the area and the Combined Authority is preparing a Local Transport Plan including plans for a Cambridge Autonomous Metro (CAM) to build on the work of the GCP by linking destinations across Cambridge and beyond. Several rail schemes are being developed which are likely to influence the location of new development including the East West Rail Link, with a new station at Cambourne, and a new station planned for Addenbrookes. We welcome that the Councils are lobbying the East West Rail Company for the project to achieve biodiversity and wider environmental net gain. Wider Ox-Cam Arch projects include the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvement Scheme. Our advice is that any new development should avoid impacts to the natural environment and should take a partnership approach to delivering strategic enhancements. Infrastructure such as waste water treatment facilities should be sited in the most sustainable locations, prioritising avoidance of impacts to the natural environment, and delivery of significant environmental enhancements including BNG.

11. It is positive that the Plan recognises the need for the right infrastructure to be delivered at the right time to avoid undue pressures of new development impacting existing services. 12. DfE has a number of approved Free Schools in the delivery pipeline, for which it will be important that positive safeguarding of land/site allocation and delivery policies are in place to ensure that the necessary school places are able to be delivered. 13. There are three broad policy considerations DfE would suggest in relation to this issue. Site allocations and safeguarded land 14. At this early stage of the emerging Local Plan site allocations have not yet been drafted. The next version of the Local Plan should seek to identify and/or safeguard specific sites (existing or new) which can deliver the school places needed to support growth, based on the latest evidence of identified need and demand, and the need for choice in education, in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The site allocations and/or associated safeguarding policies should also seek to clarify requirements for the delivery of new schools, including when they should be delivered to support housing growth, the minimum site area required, any preferred site characteristics, and any requirements for safeguarding additional land for future expansion of schools where need and demand indicates this might be necessary. Flexible and positive policy framework 15. It is also important that the policy context for delivering education is not unduly restrictive or onerous, to the extent that it represents a barrier to the delivery of school places, which is required by NPPF paragraph 94. Not only are places required to meet ‘basic need’, but also to provide sufficient choice of places for children to meet a variety of different educational demands. 16. In relation to this, policies should not seek to prioritise existing or specific proposed uses in preference to D1 use. This is because of the scarcity of land in the Plan area, and the need for infrastructure to be able to be delivered. If sites are protected for other uses and D1 use restricted/prevented, this is likely to lead to the unintended consequence of insufficient infrastructure being able to be delivered. DfE would therefore suggest that the provision of social infrastructure be supported through the Plan. This is discussed further below with regard to specific existing policies in both CCC and SCDC’s adopted Local Plans. 17. While it is important to provide the clarity and certainty to developers and the communities affected by development through site allocations and safeguarding, retaining a degree of flexibility about site specific requirements for schools is also necessary given that the need for school places can vary over time due to the many variables affecting it. DfE therefore recommends the Councils consider highlighting in the next version of the Plan that: - specific requirements for developer contributions to increasing capacity of existing schools and the provision of new schools for any particular site will be confirmed at application stage to ensure the latest data on identified need informs delivery; and that - requirements to deliver schools on some sites could change in future if it were demonstrated and agreed that the site had become surplus to requirements, and is therefore no longer required for school use. Developer contributions strategy 18. Where new development generates the need for new school places, developer contributions should be sought. 19. Local authorities have sometimes experienced challenges in funding schools via Section 106 planning obligations due to limitations on the pooling of developer contributions for the same item or type of infrastructure. However, the revised CIL Regulations remove this constraint, allowing unlimited pooling of developer contributions from planning obligations and the use of both Section 106 funding and CIL for the same item of infrastructure. The advantage of using Section 106 relative to CIL for funding schools is that it is clear and transparent to all stakeholders what value of contribution is being allocated by which development to which schools, thereby increasing certainty that developer contributions will be used to fund the new school places that are needed. DfE supports the use of planning obligations to secure developer contributions for education wherever there is a need to mitigate the direct impacts of development, consistent with Regulation 122 of the CIL Regulations. 20. Therefore, DfE would suggest specific reference to this, in an infrastructurespecific policy, and/or as part of specific site allocations which are likely to be required to contribute land and construction costs. However, it is important that all developments regardless of whether strategic in scale (but where there is demonstrable impact on the requirement for school places) contributes proportionately thereto. 21. We also request a reference within the Local Plan’s policies or supporting text to explain that developer contributions may be secured retrospectively, when it has been necessary to forward fund infrastructure projects in advance of anticipated housing growth. An example of this would be the local authority’s expansion of a secondary school to ensure that places are available in time to support development coming forward. This helps to demonstrate that the plan is positively prepared and deliverable over its period. Development Management Policies 22. Development Management policies should not be unreasonably onerous or costly for the delivery of school expansions or sites. Value for money and efficient and effective use of public funds are clearly important, and the need for timely delivery is also essential. In addition, the educational requirements of prospective pupils are an important focus when considering school layout and design. Therefore, positive and robust yet flexible and creative development management policies regarding issues such as open space, sports provision, community use, biodiversity, design, sustainable drainage, and energy etc. should be considered.

The opportunities identified through the nationally led schemes (East-West Rail) and the new transport connections from the A428 dualling need to be recognised. The key concerns raised in the earlier workshops around having infrastructure available alongside development are noted and focusing development along known infrastructure commitments will address these concerns. The February 2020 project update by Highways England commits the 10-mile A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet road dualling scheme to commence in 2022 and be operational by 2025/2026. The certainty that the road scheme can be relied upon during the early part of the plan period should allow major decisions to be made on locating development in this road corridor. The reduction in vehicles on the original route (anticipated as 4,000 reduction) offers opportunities for it to be a successful cycling and public transport corridor, particularly targeting the CAM scheme being planned by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. Coupled with the recent East-West rail announcement that Cambourne is the chosen preferred location for a new rail station will have a transformational impact on the sustainability of this corridor and its credentials for absorbing new development will be significantly improved. These combined schemes should influence the pattern of development to the western corridor.

2.21 The Consultation document identifies at Section 4.7.3 that there is a need to ‘reduce the need to travel and increase access to sustainable transport options’. 2.22 Some sectors of the economy can adapt their working practices to reduce the need to travel to work through the use of technology to enable, for example, home working. However, for the College, many jobs rely on staff being on-site e.g. College porters, chefs, and housekeeping. A review of their addresses reveals that a high proportion of staff live outside the City Centre, within South Cambridgeshire or further afield, due to the absence of affordable housing within the City. Furthermore, a number of College jobs do not have ‘regular’ working hours. Therefore, the availability of alternative transport options, together with its affordability is fundamental if there is to be a shift from the private car towards alternative transport. 2.23 In order to encourage people to shift away from car use, the Councils must recognise the different working patterns of people coming into the City and whether public transport is affordable for them. Distance or safety may deter staff who start work at 5 am from walking or cycling to work, whether at the College or elsewhere, such as at the hospitals. Public transport would be the only alternative option, but the shift from cars to public transport will only happen if public transport is convenient, affordable, and has good availability. 2.24 This section of the consultation document is heavily focused on how new development can be designed to provide for new transport infrastructure improvements, which the College recognises as being important. But there is a wider point: how transport infrastructure can be improved and integrated into existing settlements to allow people to make the change to more sustainable means of commuting.

The inclusion of healthcare as part of the definition of infrastructure is welcomed. It is important that infrastructure and particularly healthcare is funded and delivered in line with the growth in population. Health provision should be integrated with the needs of the population. The identified priorities of the STP are as follows: • Integrated out of hospital care. Focusing on population needs, we will join up out-of-hospital services more effectively, building on the foundations of strong primary care and providing additional support where necessary. • Outpatient transformation. We will change the way we deliver our outpatient services to ensure that our patients are seen by the right professionals in the right places. • Redesigning care pathways to improve efficiency and reduce unwarranted variation. We will improve the quality of the care we provide by reducing variations in the way services are delivered, adopting best practice. • Making the most of our assets. We will identify opportunities to make the best use of our high fixed cost assets, including estates and digital infrastructure. As part of the STP, we wish to be closely involved with the development of the new Greater Cambridge Local Plan to ensure the best possible health outcomes are a key part of the plan and that health infrastructure is given appropriate priority in planning decision making. The STP is developing its strategy in this area and is looking to appoint a single point of contact to engage on policy development, Local Plans, planning applications and CIL/S106. The objective is to ensure that the NHS stakeholders are fully sighted on the quantum and location of growth anticipated by the plan, and that appropriate mechanisms are in place to secure the funding and delivery of services to meet the needs of the population, across Primary Care, Community, Mental Health and Acute provision. These should include the types of infrastructure that can be funded from development, mechanisms for collecting funding (for instance a tariff per dwelling), and for larger sites, the ability to secure land to deliver on site health provision. We would be pleased to engage further with the Greater Cambridge Planning Service to support preparation of policies for the new Local Plan and as the new approach is implemented for future planning applications. In terms of wider infrastructure, a key focus should be on the timely delivery of transport solutions. This is covered in detailed under question 37 and 38.

The continued success of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus can only be realised if the policies of the Local Plan provide a supportive framework for delivery. We would recommend that housing is sited in accessible locations to the campus, by walking, cycling and public transport (maximum journey time of 40-50 minutes) and that transport improvements are delivered to reduce dependency on the car; all underpinned by a joined up strategy that considers all of the pillars of sustainable development.

The inclusion of healthcare as part of the definition of infrastructure is welcomed. It is important that infrastructure and particularly healthcare is funded and delivered in line with the growth in population. Health provision should be integrated with the needs of the population. The identified priorities of the STP are as follows: • Integrated out of hospital care. Focusing on population needs, we will join up out-of-hospital services more effectively, building on the foundations of strong primary care and providing additional support where necessary. • Outpatient transformation. We will change the way we deliver our outpatient services to ensure that our patients are seen by the right professionals in the right places. • Redesigning care pathways to improve efficiency and reduce unwarranted variation. We will improve the quality of the care we provide by reducing variations in the way services are delivered, adopting best practice. • Making the most of our assets. We will identify opportunities to make the best use of our high fixed cost assets, including estates and digital infrastructure. The STP wishes to be closely involved with the development of the new Greater Cambridge Local Plan to ensure the best possible health outcomes are a key part of the plan and that health infrastructure is given appropriate priority in planning decision making. The STP is developing its strategy in this area and is looking to appoint a single point of contact to engage on policy development, Local Plans, planning applications and CIL/S106. The objective is to ensure that the NHS stakeholders are fully sighted on the quantum and location of growth anticipated by the plan, and that appropriate mechanisms are in place to secure the funding and delivery of services to meet the needs of the population, across Primary Care, Community, Mental Health and Acute provision. These should include the types of infrastructure that can be funded from development, mechanisms for collecting funding (for instance a tariff per dwelling), and for larger sites, the ability to secure land to deliver on site health provision. We would be pleased to engage further with the Greater Cambridge Planning Service to support preparation of policies for the new Local Plan and as the new approach is implemented for future planning applications. In terms of wider infrastructure, a key focus should be on the timely delivery of transport solutions. This is covered in detailed under question 37 and 38.

Thakeham is aware of the proposed ‘Comberton Greenway’ which is a proposed route to enable cyclists, walkers and equestrians to travel sustainably from Comberton into Cambridge. As shown in the appended Vision Document, the Land east of Long Road could deliver part of the route of the proposed ‘Comberton Greenway’ to benefit the wider community and provide a sustainable route into Cambridge. Thakeham requests that the Local Plan consider planned transport improvements when determining where future development should take place, as well as assessing how potential development sites could provide new opportunities for transport infrastructure improvements. This includes the planned ‘Comberton Greenway’ and proposed new East-West rail link from Cambridge to Bedford with the northern route including stations at Cambourne and St Neots/Sandy recently announced as the preferred route. These planned infrastructure improvements improve connectivity between Comberton, Cambridge and Bedford due to the proximity of these planned routes, making Comberton a more sustainable location. Thakeham urge the Councils’ to ensure the Local Plan commits to providing infrastructure that has already been planned, especially where a site has demonstrated that it could assist in the deliverability of the infrastructure – for instance, the Land east of Long Road, and its ability to assist in delivering the proposed ‘Comberton Greenway’. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham.

2.42. Local infrastructure such as schools, health facilities and leisure facilities are key elements of new development. The Issues and Options report identifies at page 67 the importance of the timing of infrastructure delivery and this is considered to be a priority. It is recommended the Councils are informed by robust technical studies including the Local Transport Plan, planning for school places, and viability assessments to consider how and when key infrastructure is delivered. 2.43. Consideration should also be given to the potential development has to unlock opportunities for expansion of existing infrastructure, in particular schools.

This Local Plan exercise can benefit from the strong strategic context created by the Combined Authority and Greater Cambridge Partnership, as well as wider initiatives like East West Rail. It is important that spatial planning decisions reflect the existing and emerging commitments to major sustainable transport infrastructure into and across the Cambridge region. It therefore needs to be coordinated in process and substance with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Transport Plan to ensure that development is accessible by public transport, walking and cycling. So far as other infrastructure is concerned, such as power and telecommunications, the ways in which these services are delivered to site are changing significantly and any attempt to stipulate standards or delivery methods in planning policy would be counterproductive to flexible and low-cost solutions. Workshops with service providers should take place as part of the development of the Local Plan, to explain the scale and location of allocations, so that energy and water suppliers’ investment plans can be aligned with these and providers can approach landowners/promoters with greater certainty.

4.50 It is essential that appropriate infrastrcuture is provided in support of new development that will allow the reduction in the number of cars on the road, support more sustainable transport, provide the infrastructure to support new jobs and homes includes schools, health facilities, utilities etc. Emphasis on large scale development. The current emphasis appears to move to an electricity sytle infratructure provision and yet there is already an acknowledgement that there is a significant lack of supply. To achieve the aspirations of net zero carbon, the delivery of this basic infrastrcuture is of fundamental importance. Without this, during the plan period, developers may find it impossible to comply with the adopted policies. 4.51 For any development it is critical that infrastructure needs are clearly identified up front. At present there is no certainty and details only unravell during the processing of an application. The councils should consider introducing a Community Infrastructure Levy that would clearly jusify any plannig contributions up front that may be required. 4.52 We fully support the proposed infastrucutre commitments as stated on page 79 of the GCLP that will impact Meldreth and Melbourn. This includes a new walking and cycling route that appears to impact our clients’ land and the proposed public transport improvements. The details are shown in the following extract: Extract Figure 22 - Planned Major Transport Projects in Greater 4.53 There is a clear intention to improve the sustainbility of both villages and the development the subject of these representations would support this objective further. The new development would improve access to the station from the site and there is the potential to improve connectivity to the station for the occupiers of both villages of Meldreth and Melbourn via improvements to the exisitng footways and the narrow unlit path and the provision of cycle facilites. A key benefit would also be for pupils attending Melbourn College from Meldreth with an imporoved footpath link across the current agricultural field.

4.49 It is essential that appropriate infrastrcuture is provided in support of new development that will allow the reduction in the number of cars on the road, support more sustainable transport, provide the infrastructure to support new jobs and homes includes schools, health facilities, utilities etc. Emphasis on large scale development. The current emphasis appears to move to an electricity sytle infratructure provision and yet there is already an acknowledgement that there is a significant lack of supply. To achieve the aspirations of net zero carbon, the delivery of this basic infrastrcuture is of fundamental importance. Without this, during the plan period, developers may find it impossible to comply with the adopted policies. 4.50 For any development it is critical that infrastructure needs are clearly identified up front. At present there is no certainty and details only unravell during the processing of an application. The councils should consider introducing a Community Infrastructure Levy that would clearly jusify any plannig contributions up front that may be required. 4.51 We fully support the proposed infastrucutre commitments as stated on page 79 of the GCLP that will impact Meldreth and Melbourn. This includes a new walking and cycling route that appears to impact our clients’ land and the proposed public transport improvements. The details are shown in the following extract: Extract Figure 22 - Planned Major Transport Projects in Greater 4.52 There is a clear intention to improve the sustainbility of both villages and the development the subject of these representations would support this objective further. The new development would improve access to the station from the site and there is the potential to improve connectivity to the station for the occupiers of both villages of Meldreth and Melbourn via improvements to the exisitng footways and the narrow unlit path and the provision of cycle facilites. A key benefit would also be for pupils attending Melbourn College from Meldreth with an imporoved footpath link across the current agricultural field.

In providing the infrastructure needed in our area, it is vital that this Plan be coordinated, in process and in substance, with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Transport Plan, with the Combined Authority’s non-statutory spatial strategy and with local energy and water supplier’s investment strategies. Whilst controlled by regulators, the future investment is vital as privately owned utility company infrastructure is not keeping up with the needs of the Cambridge sub-region. A system where utilities can forward see development more clearly is needed. Similarly, questions should be asked over the abstraction strategies of the water companies in the long term and whether water storage is sufficient for the growth of the area. Just assuming consumers use less is delaying considered investment into suitable infrastructure. UKPN also need to consider using compulsory purchase powers to lay shorter more direct routes (rather than digging up roads) and combine infrastructure and or safeguarded ducting along planned transport routes such as greenways and the Cam.

It is necessary that developers be required to make appropriate contribution to the infrastructure needed as a result of their developments. We have observed in the context of the major current developments in North West Cambridge and particularly West Cambridge that the Section 106 obligations can be easily evaded and the necessary infrastructure developments being funded by the ratepayers. There needs to be a much more robust and accountable approach to ensuring that developers pay towards infrastructure developments.

3.70 Ensuring sufficient infrastructure is provided to support growth and in a timely manner will contribute positively towards the sustainability objectives of the Plan. A range of infrastructure projects are being promoted by Cambridge Ahead and the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) and development should be identified that can best utilise and contribute towards those initiatives. Development should maximise links to existing and proposed infrastructure to ensure walking, cycling and public transport trips are made but also provide the necessary support to allow for its provision at the appropriate time. 3.71 The Trumpington area already has an established active travel culture, with 61% of residents choosing to cycle to work and Trumpington South is particularly well suited to continue to improve upon this culture as the Mobility Strategy prepared by Vectos demonstrates: • It is exceptionally well connected to Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the City Centre via cycle networks, the guided busway and Park & Ride, all within a 10 to 15 minutes cycle ride or guided busway journey from Trumpington South. • Sustainable connections are set to improve with a planned extension of the busway to the new South West Travel Hub to the south of the site, trials of Autonomous vehicles on the busway, and a planned new railway station at Cambridge South. • Trumpington South is well placed to take maximum advantage of proposed transport infrastructure and can build on these sustainable credentials, extending them and delivering a distinctive residential quarter with a thriving active travel culture. 3.72 Providing the right community infrastructure to support development is also important. Trumpington South will benefit from existing infrastructure at Trumpington Meadows which will be available from day one of occupation. Trumpington South will provide facilities on-site to support the new and existing communities, including a primary school, a mobility hub with community concierge services, co-working and community spaces and recreation facilities. 3.73 Trumpington South residents will also benefit from direct access to the existing Trumpington Meadows Country Park, alongside the significant on-site green infrastructure proposals, which include 23 Hectares of new parkland with multi-functional open spaces, community gardens, functional water attenuation features and significant areas of biodiversity. The provision and access to Green Infrastructure in development can assist with early place-making.

3.70 Ensuring sufficient infrastructure is provided to support growth and in a timely manner will contribute positively towards the sustainability objectives of the Plan. A range of infrastructure projects are being promoted by Cambridge Ahead and the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) and development should be identified that can best utilise and contribute towards those initiatives. Development should maximise links to existing and proposed infrastructure to ensure walking, cycling and public transport trips are made but also provide the necessary support to allow for its provision at the appropriate time. 3.71 The Trumpington area already has an established active travel culture, with 61% of residents choosing to cycle to work and Trumpington South is particularly well suited to continue to improve upon this culture as the Mobility Strategy prepared by Vectos demonstrates: • It is exceptionally well connected to Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the City Centre via cycle networks, the guided busway and Park & Ride, all within a 10 to 15 minutes cycle ride or guided busway journey from Trumpington South. • Sustainable connections are set to improve with a planned extension of the busway to the new South West Travel Hub to the south of the site, trials of Autonomous vehicles on the busway, and a planned new railway station at Cambridge South. • Trumpington South is well placed to take maximum advantage of proposed transport infrastructure and can build on these sustainable credentials, extending them and delivering a distinctive residential quarter with a thriving active travel culture. 3.72 Providing the right community infrastructure to support development is also important. Trumpington South will benefit from existing infrastructure at Trumpington Meadows which will be available from day one of occupation. Trumpington South will provide facilities on-site to support the new and existing communities, including a primary school, a mobility hub with community concierge services, co-working and community spaces and recreation facilities. 3.73 Trumpington South residents will also benefit from direct access to the existing Trumpington Meadows Country Park, alongside the significant on-site green infrastructure proposals, which include 23 Hectares of new parkland with multi-functional open spaces, community gardens, functional water attenuation features and significant areas of biodiversity. The provision and access to Green Infrastructure in development can assist with early place-making.

SUMMARY OF COMMENTS: Provision of adequate health/social care capacity as population grows/ages. Continued need to develop active/sustainable travel infrastructure MAIN COMMENTS: The pressures new developments can put on health and social care services is mentioned in the issue and options report and additional infrastructure may be needed to mitigate the impacts of these new housing developments. This is particularly important to ensure that residents, particularly those in new developments, have sufficient access to health and social care services as the population grows and ages. The physical infrastructure needs to be delivered at the right time that the community needs it, and a balance needs to be struck between early delivery of community buildings and the associated financial implications of providing buildings and services early. The term health facility should be seen in the widest terms and new health facilities needs to accommodate a range of services including NHS, Local Authority and third sector and be flexible to reflect changing models of care. The local plan should therefore contain policies which support the delivery of multi-function community buildings from which services (including, but not limited to, health and social care) can be delivered. Formal and informal accessible meeting places, quality cultural and sports provision are recognised as integral to the creation of sustainable communities as they contribute much of the glue that holds communities together, providing services and facilities that meet the needs of residents, promote social interaction and enhance the overall quality of life within a community (British Property Foundation, 2010). Within the National Planning Policy Framework the importance of early community buildings is emphasised and is now generally planned into every new community. However, community buildings need to be more than meeting spaces and traditional unmanned village halls, they should provide a flexible, safe, neutral and trusted place in the community and an opportunity for the community to connect with support and services. Research into new communities shows the importance of having community facilities early in the build, even if it is initially just temporary provision, as this is the point when the residents are at their most vulnerable. Early Intervention and prevention work supported and provided by a range of sources public sector (Libraries, Schools, Public Health, Primary Care and Child & Family Centres) and third sector (Community Groups, Peer to Peer support) will require access to activity rooms, interview rooms and informal meeting spaces within the new community. Whilst community development programmes will be able to adapt to operate with little or no access to community facilities, they will be more effective and beter support the independent building of social networks by residents with access to informal meeting spaces. The local plan should promote opportunities to co-locate and integrate services and share facilities, for example the community hub principles which include co-locating and integrating community space with touch down facilities, child & family centre, library, health centre and a community type café. New developments need to be supported by the provision of utilities, the local plan should include polices requiring telecommunication infrastructure. Increasingly health and social care is being delivered electronically and residents and staff need access to reliable telecommications, including broadband and WiFi. The local plan should include policies requiring the provision of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The Greater Cambridge area ranks very well for cycling prevalence, the local plan should include policies which continue to provide infrastructure that makes active or sustianable travel the most convenient method for both business and leisure activities, the policy should consider opportunities to provide a range of cycling and walking infrastructure including segregated routes where appropriate. Proximity to good walking/cycling infrastructure and green spaces increases the likelihood of use (A Goodman 2013; A Kaczynski 2008). The evidence suggests that benefits are greatest for older people and young children deprived communities.

Ensuring sufficient infrastructure is provided to support growth could contribute positively towards the sustainability objectives of the Plan. Providing sufficient transport infrastructure, including walking and cycling, could encourage people in the area to be more active and would also help to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants from transport, having positive effects health and air quality. Providing the right community infrastructure together with communications infrastructure could help with social inclusion and allow for more flexible working which would contribute to a reduction in traffic as well as encouraging new businesses in to the area. Furthermore, the locating of development in areas already in close proximity to transport hubs such as at Whittlesford, allows for far greater leverage of investment from development towards already existing infrastructure, where this can be utilised to increased benefit of sustainable movement, patronage of facilities such as health care, education and bus services, and complement committed investment strategies from the public purse.

4.67 The new Local Plan needs to be underpinned by an up-to-date robust evidence base on all types of local infrastructure (e.g. transport, schools, health and community facilities, open space) needs. The Councils’ will need to work closely with key stakeholders to achieve this. The Councils’ should prioritise infrastructure which promotes and supports growth in the right locations.

Transport infrastructure, which includes the infrastructure to encourage more sustainable modes of travel, can have positive impacts on people’s health and wellbeing, and can also reduce transport related emissions on the environment. This can result in healthier communities and a have a positive effect on air quality, all contributing towards sustainability objectives of the emerging Local Plan. However any reduction or restriction in car parking should be supported by public transport improvements as well as cycle routes. It is vital to ensure that people are still able to access the city and use the commercial space at an affordable rate which will in turn support the city centre economy. Development in the city centre has the opportunity to contribute towards improving the capacity and quality of the public realm throughout the city centre. For example, improving connections between the historic core, such as the Grand Arcade, and Fitzroy / Burleigh Street areas of the city centre, and connections between the city centre and the railway station. Providing the right community infrastructure could help with social inclusion. Co-locating these community and leisure facilities, and providing these services in a sustainable location can promote healthy lifestyles. Allowing mixed-use communities in the City Centre which include office, retail, leisure and residential, will provide more sustainable communities that will fund better infrastructure as part of redevelopment.

Housing allocations should be located in proximity to key infrastructure; local infrastructure that reduces residents need to travel, and well connected to public transport infrastructure such as bus and train routes and sustainable travel in terms of walking and cycling. As shown in Appendix 1, the site is located in a village with considerable service provision and with many other key services such as schools and health facilities within reasonably walking and cycling distance. Furthermore, Fowlmere is located just approximately 8km from Royston which is a large town, and has access to three railway stations (Foxton, Shepreth and Meldreth within 5km providing travel to Cambridge and London. In line with the ‘big themes’ in the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, the development of this site would facilitate the need to improvements to public transport provision. This aligns with the Governments desire to improve public transport in rural areas by increasing bus services. This would help towards reducing the reliance on cars, decreasing the number of cars on the road.

2.64 In respect of NEC we have suggested that an infrastructure delivery plan should be prepared to identify the infrastructure required and the costs associated with those projects, in order to inform discussions on planning obligations. It would be reasonable to expect all development within the area to contribute towards the required infrastructure, where it benefits the AAP area as a whole rather than individual sites/landownerships. 2.65 In terms of how such cost is apportioned in an equitable manner we consider that this should form part of a specific study that includes, inter alia, the following considerations: ▪ Identify the infrastructure required across the AAP area that is necessary to delivering the comprehensive vision. This might include key routes, connections, bridges / underpasses, transport, education, energy/utilities, social etc; ▪ Identify where these are most appropriately located to meet the AAP vision; ▪ Establish a cost base for these, including appropriate cost of land recognising that in some cases it would be otherwise used for residential or other development; ▪ Establish an appropriate equalisation formula across the AAP, levied on all new development. This could be one or a combination of a tariff per m2, per net acre etc and may be varied by use class; ▪ Set this out in a policy / legal framework with an appropriate indexing mechanism.

· Cycling and walking infrastructure must be safe, convenient, accessible, widely available and built to high-quality standards. · Developments must provide their cycling network, both on-site and with connections to the wider area, before any dwellings are occupied, in order to ensure that new residents get off to the most sustainable start possible. · The cycling network must be the basis of the transport plan for sites, along with public transport routes, and it should be the grid upon which building sites are oriented. · Any large roads in the vicinity of the site must not become cause for walking or cycling severance. · There must always be safe and convenient crossings to ensure that people walking and cycling have full permeability across roads. · The Local Plan must take an explicit stand in opposition to the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, and should also oppose any plans by the county council or Combined Authority to expand roads. · All congestion relief plans must come from reduction of car traffic and the shifting of travel from cars into walking, cycling and public transport. This is the only way to achieve the climate emergency, air quality and social inclusion goals that the Local Plan has put forth. · The plans for East-West Railway and South Station should be supported but only on the proviso that these projects include full permeability for walking and cycling, provide high-quality and attractive cycling bridges and underbridges, and help drive mode shift out of cars and onto foot, bike and public transport.

Please see section 5.0 of the accompanying representations document. There are a number of gaps in service provision in the south of Cambridge. CEG is committed to delivering community infrastructure and doing so in the early phases of development. This is not only to support ‘pioneer’ families that move into the first phases of development, but to also support the existing local communities surrounding the site. Land to the South East of Cambridge could include the provision on site of a new dedicated community hub, primary school and local centres including shops and services. CEG is also committed to ensuring community engagement in the design process. Community involvement in the designs of schemes can foster community support and community ownership of a housing development. CEG will therefore work in partnership with the Council and local groups as it has done successfully on other sites across the country, but also locally in the development of the GB1 planning application.